June Stampaganza!!!

June first is here, and with it comes STAMPAGANZA!  This month, for every two My Acrylix Stamp Sets you buy, you get a third FOR FREE!  Yep, you read that correctly!  You do NOT need an eye exam--unless you need bifocals, like I do and are putting it off, lol!  ;)

Speaking of My Acrylix, one of my favorite of these stamp sets right now is called Just for You.  I used it to design a set of cards that I like to call the Stella Trio:

This is my favorite of the three cards:

These cards use the current Stella papers, Colonial White Cardstock base, Sunset, Olive, Lagoon, Tulip, and Cocoa Inks, Cricut Art Philosophy Collection, Sunset Mini-Medley buttons, Colonial White Waxy Flax, and Cocoa Opaque Gems to create three 4 x 4 all occasion cards.  Isn't it amazing the variety you have with just a few products?  These are also the cards we will make at my very first Card Workshop!  More details to come!

Third Place Finish!!!

Well, I am just as thrilled as can be that I finished third in the Close to My Heart Facebook contest for National Scrapbook Month.  Thank you all so much for the votes and words of encouragement.  It helps that my wonderful director, Mandy Leahy took first place!  Congrats, Mandy!!!

 I also need to say thank you to my peeps who attended my Kick-off Extravaganza.  It was a wonderful turnout, and a great success!  I was able to donate $40 to My friend Jenny to support her in the Relay For Life 2012.  Those of you who were able to score a Dotty for You Paper pack, you are one of the last few who did--they went like hotcakes and are now SOLD OUT! 

How shocking that the month went by so fast!  I am not quite sure how this is the last day of May.  It was also my kids' last day of school, so summer, here we come!  :)

I just want to share with you quickly the adorable letters that I decorated for my Studio.  I bought them at Michael's, and spiffied them up with some of my favorite Close to My Heart B&T Duos Paper Packs and embellishments.

A few close-ups of our fabulous embellishments:
Hemp and Bohemian Assortment button and flower

 Just Blooms Paper Shapes and Pearl Opagues

 Chocolate spotty ribbon round

Dotty for You Contest!!! Time to Vote!

Hello!  It is finally time to place your vote for the Dotty for You National Scrapbook Month Contest from Close to My Heart.  I could win $100 worth of product from the Spring/Summer Idea book.  Well, that would mean I would just HAVE to have a giveaway, so please come and vote for me HERE!  Thank you all so very much!  This is a picture of the keepsake box I entered for the contest:

Please go vote!  The contest winner will be announced on May 29th.  :)

Kick-Off Extravaganza Gathering is here!!!

Today is the big day!  It is my official Kick-Off Extravaganza to start my business with Close to My Heart.  I am both excited at the prospects and very nervous too!  I have been pouring over the Idea Book for quite some time, so I am ready to do this!  If anyone out there would like to place an order but are unable to make it to my Gathering, HERE is the link to my website.  Remember, Dotty for You is almost gone!  You only have until May 31st to place a $35 order from the Spring/Summer Idea Book in order to get your pack for only $5.  Be sure to get it now--don't wait!  Here is a pic of the pattern side.  The reverse side is an adorable dots pattern in several different coordinating colors.

 The other limited time offer for May is the Friendship Bouquet Stamp of the Month.  You can get it only until May 31st at regular price, OR for only $5 with a $50 purchase!  That is almost a $13 savings!  Here are two cards I made with the beautiful sunflowers and sentiments in the set:

 Also, just a reminder that half of my earnings will be donated to sponsor my friend Jenny Beguin in the 2012 Relay For Life of Oswego and Montgomery, IL.  She is participating in honor of her friend, Jen who lost her battle with cancer recently.  I hope to really make this a big success.  Thanks so much for your support of Mimi, Myself, and I!  We have been having quite the time with our creative side.  ;)

NSM Facebook Contest: Dotty for You Entry

Happy Wednesday!  Today I just want to remind everyone of the contest that CTMH is having for National Scrapbook Month on Facebook.  Entries have to incorporate the Dotty for You paper pack in any project of your choice.  I decided to remake a keepsake box for mine.  Here is the finished project:

 I cut out many of the embellishments from the paper itself.

 Then I chose buttons, dimensional elements, and twine to add some more flair.

 LOVE these glitter buttons and the opaque pearls on the scallop cut.

 I even used paper flowers and brads to round it out.

 This ticket feature is one of my faves.

 More cut-outs, paper flowers, and a bling button on top.

 I tried to incorporate each of the patterns in the papers on the box.  There were only two that didn't make the final cut.  I finished it up with ribbon around the outer edge. 

Starting this Saturday, the 26th, you can vote for my project to win.  I will add a link in a later post to make it easy!  ;)  Wish me luck!

Nomination for Blog Award! Who, Mimi???

Yesterday my blog was nominated for it's first award! The "Liebster Award" This award was given to me by Pamela at I Candy Scraps.  I am so taken by surprise, Pamela, thank you so very much for the humbling compliment!  Pamela has her own fabulous Liebster Award-winning blog so be sure to check it out here!

Liebster is a German word meaning "Beloved," "Favorite," or "Dearest."  This award is a peer to peer award in which fellow bloggers present the award to their favorite bloggers with less than 200 followers. The origins of this award is unclear, but is believed to have originated by a German blogger.  This award was designed to be a blog award in the pay it forward fashion to share your dearest  and most beloved blogs that have less than 200 followers.

The rules to accepting the "Liebster Award" are as follows

• Thank the person who gave you the award and link back to their blog.
• Post the award onto your blog.
• Give the award to five bloggers who you appreciate that have less than 200 followers.
• Leave a comment on their blog letting them know that you have given them this awesome award!

My five picks for this award for their inspiration to me go to:

Wendy- http://www.stampingrules.com/

 Darla-http://stampingunderdoctorsorders.blogspot.com/

 Lalia-http://craftylalia.blogspot.com/

 Pamela-http://cherishyourmemories.blogspot.com/

                               ~AND~

 Ashley-http://www.cutesyandsillscrafts.blogspot.com/

Now, ladies, it is your turn!  Choose one of the following to post on your blog and then choose your five to share the love with!  :)

Bethie's Belated Birthday!

Ok, so it took a while for me to get this card to my friend for her birthday (in my defense, I was not home on her birthday--National Scrapbook Day!!!), so I could not share it until I did, lol!  I finally succeeded with delivery today and am excited to share this one.  It is a different color scheme than I am used to--and THAT was my personal challenge to myself.  I began with the Dotty for You paper pack...remember, it is ONLY available for a limited time now...when May is gone, so is Dotty!  {cry, cry}

~ I cut the card out of Colonial White cardstock on my Cricut Expression from my trusty Art Philosophy cartridge.

~Other CTMH supplies I used:  Basic Button assortment, Evergreen Color-ready Corkboard Shapes (star), Paradise Assortment Baker's Twine, Stamp of the Month for January 2012 called Little Reminder, Sunset, Grey Wool and Black Exclusive Ink Pad, February Stamp of the Month 2012 Thoughtful Tidings,  and the Typeset Workshop-on-the-Go Stamp Set.  See the chipboard circle that has the calendar numbers stamped on it?  It is one of the scraps left over from the My Originals Sweet Surprises Card Kit.  Don't throw those away!  They fit perfectly for this use!  ;)

Happy Belated Birthday, Bethie!!!  ;)